Fountain applicator



May 18, 1937. G. u. LE MOINE ET AL 2,080,778

FOUNTAIN APPLICATOR Filed Sept. 17, 1954 62044 a ,Zefi/ir, jmwfef. G y-5 Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,080,778 FOUNTAIN APPLICATOR George Ulric Le Moine, Amesbury,

Joseph Gagin, Lawrence, Mass.,

and Albert assignors to The Brush-n StovePolish Company, Amesbury, Mass.

Application September 17, 1934, Serial No. 744,442

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in fountain applicators of the type disclosed in our copending application Serial Number 695,924, filed October 30, 1933, wherein the flow of fluid from a handle forming receptacle to a dauber carried by a closure for said receptacle is controlled by a normally closed spring seated valve having a projecting stem, and, wherein the projecting stem is actuated to open the valve and permit a quantity of the fluid to flow to the dauber when the latter is pressed with greater than normal pressure against the surface to which the fluid is to be applied.

The primary object of the present invention 5 is to provide an improved fountain applicator of the above kind in which the dauber is of a character which will smoothly and evenly apply the fluid or liquids to the surface for which it is intended.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fountain applicator of the above kind which is simple and durable in construction, efficient in use, and capable of economical production.

Other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of' a fountain applicator embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in central longitudinal section, of a modified form of fountain applicator embodying the present invention.

The fountain applicator embodying the present invention is intended for use in applying various forms of fluids or liquids to surfaces and includes an elongated glass or other rigid receptacle 5 adapted to constitute the handle of the applicator and to be filled with the liquid prior to application of the combined dauber and closure, to be presently described, to the mouth thereof. The neck of receptacle 5 adjacent to the mouth of the same may be provided with a downwardly facing external annular shoulder 6, for a purpose which will presently be described.

The present invention includes a closure consisting of a back member 1, of wood or suitable molded material, provided with a central opening 55 8 and having a reduced upper portion 9 preferably of substantially segmento-spherical form. The reduced upper portion 9 of the back member is formed with a central cavity or recess l0 communicating with the outer end of opening 8 and adapted to form a reservoir as will be pres- 5 ently explained. The dauber consists of a pelt or fabric H with attached hair, wool or nap l2, the skin or base of such pelt'or fabric being stretched over the reduced upper portion 9 of the back member 1 with the hair, wool or nap l2 l0 exposed on the outer side thereof. The lower portionof the back member I conforms in size and shape to the open upper end of receptacle 5, and is seated at its margin upon the upper edge of the mouth of receptacle 5 to form part of 16 a closure for the latter. The reduced upper portion 9 of the back member 1 provides the latter with an upwardly facing external shoulder I3, and the closure for receptacle 5 further includes a metallic cap I4 whose top wall is provided with a relatively large central open- 20 ing in which the reduced portion 9 of the back member I is snugly fitted and through which the latter projects, the top wall of cap l4 seating flatly upon shoulder l3 and the marginal portion of the skin or base of pelt or fabric ll. 25 The rim of cap I4 extends below shoulder 6 of receptacle 5 and snugly surrounds the edge of the larger lower portion of ,back member I and the portion of the receptacle neck above shoulder 6. The projecting lower portion of cap 30 I4 is crimped or spun inwardly in snug engagement with and beneath shoulder 6 of receptacle 5 so that the back member I is tightly clamped against the open upper end of receptacle 5 and the margin of pelt or fabric II is 35 securely clamped against the shoulder I3, with pelt or fabric ll drawn taut over the reduced upper portion 9 of back'member 1. The skin or base portion of pelt or fabric II is formed with a number of small perforations l5 where it registers with the cavity or recess l0, so that fluid in said cavity or recess l0 may slowly seep outwardly to and saturate the hair, wool or nap l2 of said pelt or fabric. The inwardly 45 spun or crimped lower portion of cap I4 is indicated at l6, and if desired a packing or gasket I! may be interposed between the back member I and the upper edge of receptacle 5 to insure a fluid tight joint.

The central opening 8 of back member 1 is normally closed by a spring seated valve disk l8 arranged to seat against the bottom of back member I about the opening 8, and rigid with I the valve disk I8 is an elongated steml9 that 55 2 terminates a slight distance outwardly of the reduced upper portion 9 of the back member and in contact with the skin base of pelt or fabric H at the inner side of the latter. Thus, when the pelt or fabric II is engaged with the surface to be treated under greater than normal vents direct engagement of stem IS with the surface being treated, and consequently prevents said stem from scratching such surface.

- The valve disk l8 may be yieldingly seated by means of a spring 20 formed from an elongated piece of resilient metal bent into angular forma- -ation to provide an outer vertical arm and a lower inwardly extending horizontal arm as clearly shown in Figure 1, the vertical arm being positioned in a recess 2| provided in the inner side of back member 1 near one side of the latter, and the free end of the horizontal arm being turned upwardly as at 22 for engagement in a central depression 23 in the under side of valvedisk 18. The upper end of the vertical arm of spring 20 is directed laterally to engage the wall of recess 2| so that when the spring 20 is placed under tension, the laterally directed end 24 will bite into the wall of recess 2| and thereby insure retention of the spring 20 in its proper assembled relation to the back member I.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 4 is substantially the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, except that in said form of rigidly provided Figure 4 the valve disk I8 is yieldingly seated by means of a helical; spring 20a surrounding the stem l9 and bearing at its inner end on the bottom of recess an abutment or collar 25 pinned or otherwise on the outer end of steinv I 9.

The construction is extremely simple and ecoand allowing fluid I 0 and at its outer end against nomical to manufacture, quite durable, and so constituted as to be extremely eillcient in use. Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim as new is:

' A fountain applicator of the type described comprising, in combination, a receptacle having a neck, a back member having a plane lower surface and seated at the margin of said lower surface on the upper edge of the receptacle neck, said back member comprising a solid circular body provided with a central discharge opening, and

having an externally reduced upper portion, a

securing cap apertured to fit over the reduced upper portion of the back member and secured to the receptacle neck to securely clamp the back member against the upper edge of the bottle neck, a dauber consisting of a pelt stretched over the reduced upper portion of the back member and clamped at its margin between the securing cap and the margin of the back member, said pelt having hair or nap on the exposed outer face thereof and being provided with small perforations in the skin of the same communicating with the central discharge opening of the back member, and a spring-seated valve normally seatedagainst the lower surface of said back member and closing said central discharge openingof the latter, said valve having a stem i projecting through said discharge opening and engaging the inner side of the pelt for unseating the valve when the pelt is pressed into engagement with the surface to be treated under greater than normal pressure, the reduced upper por- 1 tion of the back member being of segmentospherical form and provided with a central cavity communicating with the outer end of said central discharge opening and forming a reservoir between the back member and the pelt normally 4 isolated from the receptacle by said valve.

GEORGE ULRIC LE MOINE. ALBERT JOSEPH GAGIN. 

